The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.Posted on 05/01/2006 8:28:35 AM PDT by blueberry12
The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - In the heated debate over the impact of illegal immigration on the U.S. economy, Andrew Sum is one of those focusing on the negative.
The economist - the director of labor market studies at Northeastern University in Boston - argues that the large supply of immigrants has displaced low-skilled U.S.-born workers, particularly the young and the poor, from jobs.
"About 85.5 of every 100 new workers are new immigrants in this decade," he said. "At no time in the last 60 years have we come close to this. They're really displacing young workers at a very high rate."
But even Sum would concede that the U.S. economy is larger, and growing faster, due to the supply of illegal immigrants, and that most Americans with higher job skills are better off for their presence.
"Without the immigrants, we would have a decline in labor force of 3 to 4 percent," he said. "We couldn't have grown nearly as much as we did in the '90s if we didn't have immigrants. And in the last few years our growth would have been slower. The only thing I've argued is that we've ignored that illegal immigration has put a lot of young adults into economic jeopardy."
Sum's views point out the dichotomy that many economists see when looking at the impact of immigration on the economy.
Few economists will argue with the concept that the economy is stronger for the presence of the low-cost labor force.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
I do not in any way support the presence of illegal aliens. However, I have personal knowledge of the seafood processing business, and I can assure you that they cannot get Americans to do the work - which would pay good money if they were willing to work hard. But the locals don't want to work hard - and they don't want to earn enough to mess up their welfare or disability payments. The Mexicans - legal ones - are the only ones the owners can count on to show up for work and work all day.
The price of crabmeat in Virginia right now remains at lofty levels despite abundant catches - because the packing houses can't get enough pickers to handle the product. (Visa limits.) The watermen who have good catches can't sell them at a decent price, because no one is going to buy what they can't process.
For those industries that actually cannot find Americans to do the work, legal work visas are the only way for them to operate. And when you hire legals, you have to pay the prevailing wage.
We need to go after people that knowingly hire illegals tooth & nail - and build a fence! - but to say that there aren't any jobs Americans won't do is simply not true.
You just responded to yourself in post #41. Gotta watch those screen names!
You're the one that has it backwards. The people from Flint and Detroit don't move because crooked employers give the jobs to illegals.
Walmart and K-Mart should look almost normal instead of a little slice of Mexico City.
The pay is not the issue, the COST per employee is.
Trying to speak logic to the anti-immigration folks is tough. Unless you've actually been in the situation of having a job that is "below" American standards and tried to fill it, you just won't inderstand. The legal process is not just slow and expensive, it is extremely difficult to qualify even if you've done everything by the book.
In many cases, the labor pool we are talking about has actually saved communities that would have otherwise died.
These people don't have personal lives, they live 6-10 guys in a motel or apartment.
Would YOU want to go home to that or stay at work??
Jeezzzz,, when I was young in the military, I looked for extra duty for NO extra pay just for something to do and we had a TV that I could understand!!!! I'm so mad of hearing that I can't tpe@!!!!he cannot get any Americans with the work ethic to do the work (landscape, irrigation install). I know he is probably right, as my son, who is a subcontractor in construction (mostly siding) has had the same problem, and said the same thing.
I will ask you one more time.
What is it that you have against LEGAL legit business owners here in the US?
These people don't have personal lives, they live 6-10 guys in a motel or apartment.
Would YOU want to go home to that or stay at work??
Jeezzzz,, when I was young in the military, I looked for extra duty for NO extra pay just for something to do and we had a TV that I could understand!!!! I'm so mad of hearing that I can't tpe@!!!!
he cannot get any Americans with the work ethic to do the work (landscape, irrigation install). I know he is probably right, as my son, who is a subcontractor in construction (mostly siding) has had the same problem, and said the same thing..
We're going to have to respectfully disagree then. Because I don't buy it.
I've heard the complaints from employers many times.
What they can't find is American workers willing to work for the wages they pay, the conditions they require, an exploitive mentality, surrounded by non-english speaking foreigners, etc.
I've done more crappy jobs over the years than I care to remember. I did them to make money and move up the ladder.
I refuse to believe that in one generation the American worker has gone to hell in a handbasket.
It is not for you to question what another finds grievous in the same way it is not for you to question what another prizes.
THAT is the market!
No. We do have the right to tell who can come in and who cannot, but we benefit from these workers. Our economy, our standard of living depends on the amount of people working and improving our land. The more workers we have, the better it is for America!
Furthermore, are you saying that Mexicans, by virtue of sharing a border, have greater rights than Chinese, Indians or any another billion or so people that would work even harder than Mexicans?
No, I think they are all equal. Exception: Arabs. I don't think it is a good idea to allow Arabs to move here and work here, because of their belief Islam says that they have to kill us all. I would not open the borders to Arabs, but to everyone else I'd say COME and WORK HERE!!!!!!!!!!
If you ask me, the entire population of China should be allowed to relocate to America if that's what they want.
But the current system would not be able to handle that, because currently, America is a socialist country. The truth is, we are not able to sustain ourselves. The American government is in debt. We owe foreign nations billions of dollars. The US government is borrowing 2440 million dollars every day. This is proof that America cannot sustain itself.
SOCIALISM ALWAYS LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.
We should oppose socialism instead of opposing people who want to work and live in freedom!!!!!!!!
Those were other times, other people. This is 2006, and the illegals are not just a few, but very uneducated, they do not like us, and they will not assimilate.
I am glad however, that there will be plenty of jobs for people of your intelligence.
p.s. I am hispanic, but before that, I am a proud American(US citizen that is).
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
I oppose socialism and communism and nothing else. Period.
RE post #115
"We do have the right to tell who can come in and who cannot, but we benefit from these workers."
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Surely you mean we SCUMBAGS who hire illegals benefit....correct? Is that the "we" you were referring to?
What about your "fair" argument? Did that fly out the window?
How does the legitimate business owner benefit from a dirt bag competitor down the street who hired illegals?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
I oppose socialism and communism and nothing else. Period.
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You're not making any sense.
You obviously oppose the rule of law and an even playing field.
Every position you've represented on this thread undermines legit business owners.
Every single one.
If you believe Americans are capable to take low-paying jobs, then why do you oppose Americans and Mexicans competing for jobs?
IN A FREE MARKET, EVERYBODY IS FREE TO TAKE A JOB OR REFUSE A JOB. What you are advocating is special privileges for American workers. This is not how the free market works!
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